Community News

Morgan County Dems, GOP gather to watch debate

Candidates also speak at local political events

Morgan County Commissioner and candidate Brian McCracken updates fellow Morgan County Republicans at a gathering Monday night at the local GOP headquarters in Fort Morgan.

Politics was in the air Monday night in Morgan County, as party faithful gathered to watch the final presidential debate and hear from candidates, both on TV and in person.

The Morgan County Republicans watched the debate at the local party headquarters at 329 E. Platte Ave. in Fort Morgan.

They heard from Commissioner Brian McCracken, who is running for re-election, as well as from commissioner candidate Jim Zwetzig. Both men are running unopposed for the two available seats on the board of county commissioners.

Meanwhile, the Morgan County Democrats held a watch party and fundraiser for Congressional District 4 candidate Brandon Shaffer at Elaine's Place restaurant near Quail Dunes Golf Course outside Fort Morgan.

Shaffer, who was at the Morgan County Democrats' event, is running against U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner for the CD-4 seat. A Longmont resident, Shaffer currently serves as the Colorado State Senate president.

Republicans

At the local GOP watch party, around 25 people gathered for a potluck meal, a short party business meeting, lots of political discussion and the chance to watch the final debate with like-minded folks.

Fort Morgan resident Jerry Wathan said he thinks Election Day is "going to be exciting."

And his fellow Republicans seemed to share that sentiment, as they talked about distributing yard signs supporting Mitt Romney, organizing a Trick or Treat Street stop at the local party headquarters for Halloween, and activities the night of the election at headquarters.

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"We have given out 400 Romney signs," said Vivianne Lorenzini, Morgan County GOP chair, adding that they were hoping to get more to distribute.

Lorenzini also had every ear listening when she mentioned that people who take advantage of early voting likely would have their phone numbers taken off of political call/survey lists.

She also encouraged people to tell their friends and neighbors to go out and vote.

Jim Zwetzig, candidate for Morgan County commissioner, speaks to his fellow Republicans Monday night at the local party's headquarters before watching the presidential debate.

And McCracken told the crowd about his current work as a commissioner, including coming updates to communications equipment and getting the 2013 county budget finalized.

Zwetzig said he was getting excited about the election.

"I feel much better about the election. I did go vote today, so I know I have at least one vote," he quipped.

He also encouraged people to take advantage of early voting, but mainly just to make sure they voted.

"I think it's important that we voice our wishes at the polls," Zwetzig said.

As for the job he will likely start next year, since he's running unopposed, "it's going to be a new experience for me. I'll learn a lot, I'm sure.

Morgan County Democrats gather at Elaine's Place to share a meal and raise money for Brandon Shaffer's congressional campaign Monday night before watching the presidential debate.

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Democrats

The Democrats' watch party was a slightly more formal affair, with food catered by the restaurant, drinks from its bar and a small auction of donated items. But there was the same -- yet ideologically opposite -- political discussion and viewing of the debate with people with similar political opinions.

And talk they did, both with their candidate for congress and amongst themselves, discussing the latest poll numbers they had heard in the presidential race and the pending debate.

Morgan County Democratic Party Secretary Karrie Steinbach said she thought the fundraiser/watch party was going well. It was taking the place of the usual fall fundraiser potluck and auction, she said.

The local party had held previous watch parties at Elaine's Place, which is usually closed on Mondays, "but they were nice enough to open up tonight for us," Steinbach said.

She said it was exciting to have the political event on the first day of early voting in Morgan County.

For his part, Shaffer said he was excited to come to Morgan County for the fundraiser/watch party.

"We've got a great turnout," the candidate said of the around 30 people who showed up. He said it was good see his "strong, frequent supporters" from Morgan County again.

"The whole thing makes me excited," Shaffer said of the campaign process and election. "I voted by mail last week, and we're seeing the ballot counts start coming in."

Brush resident Jon Erickson took advantage of a chance to visit with Shaffer, who he has been supporting through volunteer work at the local party headquarters.

"I am a tree-hugging, gun-toting, fiscally responsible, socially tolerant American voter," Erickson said of his political stance and why he was volunteering with the local Dems.

He said he supports President Barack Obama, and that he does not support Mitt Romney. Erickson, a veteran who served during Vietnam, said this was influenced by the fact that Mitt Romney "dodged the draft."

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